Scoring device for contract bridge



Aug. 8, 1933. H HEERlNG 1,921,673

SCORING DEVICE FOR CONTRACT BRIDGE Filed March I2, 1951 11 @QD/MANI AAm.

Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITED sTArs PATENT eric Application March 2,1931, Serial No. 519,608, and in Denmark December 9, 1930 4 Claims.

In contract bridge the number oi points reckoned for overtricks andundertricks varies according as the pair playing is in the first orsecond game. Now, attempts have been made 5 to make the number of pointsgained by overtricks or understricks agree as nearly as possible withthe error which was presumably made if the number of tricks obtained wasnot the number which was bid. But, on account ci the nature of thematter, it has not been possible to establish the points scored for anumber of overtricks or understricks as a simple multiple of the number'of points gained for one overtrck or undertrick. For the same reasonthe number or" points scored for overtricks when doubled for example, itnot twice as large as the number of points scored for the same number ofnormal overtricks. Consequently many diierent values for the tricks areestablished, which may appear on supercial consideration to be quitearbitrary, and, therefore, are remembered only with diniculty; thismakes it necessary to employ special aids in order to be able toascertain how many points the pair playing the hand was gained for agiven number of overtricks or understricks when playing a normal hand orwhen doubled or redoubled. Heretofore, tables have been used for thispurpose but these were very extensive and difficult to use, since theyhad to contain the number of points for up to six overtriclrs in the rstand second game when playing a normal hand and when doubled andredoubled, as well as the score values for up to seven undertricks forthese three conditions of play, together with the score values forfulfilling contract when doubled and redoubled. The object of thepresent invention is to provide a device whereby the number of pointswon or lost can be ascertained conveniently and surely. The inventionconsists essentially in a nat carrier bearing on one side numbersrepresenting points for play in the first game and on the other sidenumbers representing points for play in the second game, the saidnumbers being arranged in columns for overtricks and undertricks, innormal play and when doubled and redoubled, two slides being mounted inthe said carrier which cover each of the tables provided on the faces ofthe carrier, each of these slides having an opening capable of beingarranged so as to disclose three portions of the table simultaneously,the said portions corresponding to the number of points for a givennumber of overtricks or undertricks in normal play and when doubled andredoubled, respectively. The invention Will now be described in greaterdetail with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure lshows one constructional form oi the subject of the invention Viewedfrom the face used for ascertaining the number or" points scored whenthe pair playing the hand is in the first game. Figure 2 shows thedevice represented in Figure l viewed from the reverse face. Figure 3shows a section taken along the line III-111m Figure l. Figure 4 is anelevational view of a part of the same side of the device, asillustrated in Figure l, except that the slide has beenremoved to showthe indicia which is carried by the element disposed thereunder. Thecarrier of the device consists, in the constructional form shown, of aiiat middle portion l, made, for example, of a piece of cardboard, tothe edges of which narrow strips 2 are attached, which again are coveredby wider portions 3 so that the two slides 4l, 5 can be arranged in thecarrier so as to be capable of being moved to and iro therein. Thenumber of points scored for overtricks and undertricks, as well as forfulfilment `or" contract, when doubled or redoubled, are printed incolumns on bothfaces ofthe middle portion 1. The points indicated on thetwo faces correspond to play in the rst and second games, respectively.Oi the three columns on each face, one column indicates the points to bescored for overtricks and undertricks in normal play, the second columnindicates the corresponding points when doubled, and the third columnwhen redoubled. The tables of points thus formed are covered by theslides 4, 5 each of which is provided with an opening 6 capable oirevealing three numerical values of points for a denite number, forexample, four, overtricks and/or undertricks in normal play and whendoubled and redoubled. In the accompanying drawing, the slide 4 is shownin the position for which it reveals the number or points whichcorrespond to three overtricks in play in the first game, while theslide 5 is shown in the position which reveals the numbers of points forfour undertricks if the partners playing the hand are in their secondgame. In order to indicate the number of overtricks or undertricks towhich the figures revealed by one of the openings 6 refer, the number ofovertricks or undertricks is specied on the side portions 3, so that thenumber adjacent the opening 6 for any particular position or the latterindicates the number or" overtricks or undertricks to which the scoredisclosed corresponds. In the constructional form shown,

the undertricks are specied on the lower portion of the carrier whilethe points scored for fuliilment of contract and overtricks are on theupper portions of the carrier. The two portions are separated from oneanother by means of a bridge piece 7 which covers the opening 6 in theslide when the latter is in its mean position. The slides are providedwith column indications at the openings 6 which relate to overtricks andundertricks in normal play and when doubled and redoubled. Further, thevalues for grand slam and little slam in the first and second (rubber)games are printed on each of the slides. Finally, the ordinary rules ofplay and also a statement of the number of points for tricks bid and forhonours may be printed on the slides. The printing on the two faces ofthe device may preferably be made in two different colours, for example,the face relating to play in the iirst gaine being printed in black andthe face relating to play in the second or rubber game being printed inred. In this way the best possible assurance is attained that thecorrect side will always be used. The slides are provided at the endswith parts 8 by means of which they can readily be moved. They maypreferably be made of such Y length that their extremities do not quiteenter within the transverse frame portions 3 when the slides are intheir extreme positions; otherwise the return of the slides might easilybe rendered difficult in that their ends might catch in the parts of theframe if they happened to be bent over or upwardly to a slight extent.

I claim:

l. A scoring device for use in contract bridge comprising asubstantially iiat elongated carrier Y transverse extension of the threecolumns and having a height corresponding to the height of the figures,whereby it may reveal three and only three juxtaposed guressimultaneously.

2. A scoring device for use in contract bridge comprising a flatelongated carrier provided at least on one face withnumbers or guresrepresenting points to be scored for different tricks, said figures fornormal play, when doubled or when redoubled, respectively, beingarranged in three parallel columns extending in the longitudinaldirection of the carrier, the figures themselves extending in atransverse direction, until a certain distance from both of thelongitudinal edges of the carrier, the margin part thus provided beingcovered by frame parts secured to the carrier and presenting grooves orchannels, a reciprocatory elongated slide mounted between said carrierand said frame parts and guided in said grooves or channels, said slidehaving an opening extending in the transverse direction of the slide andcorresponding in size to the area of the carrier occupied by a set ofthree juxtaposed igures in the three said columns.

3. A scoring device, as claimed in claim 1, in which the opening in theslide is situated substantially at the middle of the slide, and thefigures indicated on the carrier correspond to numbers of overtricks andundertrcks respectively, increasing from the middle of the carriertowards both ends of it and being indicated on the longitudinal frameparts.

Ll, A scoring device, as Vclaimed in claim 1, in which the opening inthe slidegis situated substantially at the middle of the slide, and themiddle part of the carrier is left blank, being situated beneath abridge part connecting the two longitudinal frame parts substantially atthe middie oi the carrier, the columns of iigures on the carrierextending towards each end of the carrier from the blank middle part,said figures corresponding to numbers of overtricks and undertricksrespectively, increasing from the middle of the carrier towards bothends of it and being indicated on the longitudinal frame parts.

HARALD HEERING.

